Friday, December 4, 1998
A golden success
MUSIC: Goldfinger lifts and thrills fans
by blending energy with wry introspection
By Brent Hopkins
Daily Bruin Staff
Sure, the mostly adolescent crowd may have danced a little for
the string of opening bands, but there was no doubt about who the
main attraction was. The anxious teens, no doubt eager to tell
their homeroom classmates about their venture to "that bitchin’
show, man," seemed interested in the openers, but their passion was
reserved for Goldfinger.
The mass of fans packed into the Key Club on Wednesday actively
hungered for those "Here In Your Bedroom" guys. Even the lead
singer of 98 Mute, who came on directly before the headliners,
acknowledged this, promising to hurry their set along so the
15-year-olds could get their fill of the Hollywood ska-punk
quartet. When they finally took the stage at 10:30 p.m., they
satisfied the crowd with ease.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve only had one rehearsal for this
show," proclaimed lead singer John Feldmann a few songs into the
evening. If that was the case, it certainly wasn’t visible in their
hour-long set. Though the full-force offerings may not have had the
technical precision of studio tracks, the group’s passionate energy
made up for any musical slip-ups. Darrin Pfeiffer’s frantic
drumming, combined with Kelly Lemieux’s steady bass, lent the tunes
a solid foundation. Meanwhile, Feldmann and guitarist Charlie
Paulson added the wry, introspective character to those numbers
that sets Goldfinger aside from most run-of-the-mill bands.
Although its songs do not offer deep insight into the human psyche,
it provides more than the average love song or punk rant.
Beginning with the mocking "Question," Feldmann and Paulson lit
a musical fire that refused to burn out. Paulson possessed an
incredible stage presence, employing a wireless guitar setup to its
fullest. He cut an imposing figure, shirtless and covered with a
maze of dark tattoos, twisting his body like a writhing serpent,
pogoing high into the air, attacking a disco ball above the stage
with the headstock of his black Telecaster, and tossing water
bottles at eager fans. The intensity with which he approached his
mad dashes about the stage was reflected in his guitar playing, as
well. On "If Only," a driving tale of insecurity, he completely
dislodged his guitar from its straps, falling to the floor to
continue playing as he shrugged off the stage tech’s offer of
help.
Feldmann provided a perfect complement to Paulson’s gyrations.
His carefree onstage demeanor made him an engaging frontman,
smiling freely and encouraging the audience to join in with him. On
"Mable," a radio hit for the band in ’96, he pulled a young fan out
of the audience and turned over the microphone for its deadpan
chorus of "she’s the bomb." He later passed his guitar into the
audience, along with the mic, which made for some awfully strange
vocals. This accessible persona was well-suited for the Key Club’s
small stage and allowed him to connect with an eager audience.
The band managed to squeeze in over 20 songs in only an hour, a
majority of which came from its most recent album, "Hang Ups."
Goldfinger also included a terrifyingly corny cover of Marilyn
Manson’s "The Dope Show," where Pfeiffer strutted about stage in a
stuffed thong and bra, complete with wig, lipstick and glam
sunglasses. As the dolled-up drummer made his way back to his kit,
Lemieux commented offhandedly, "Man, he just gets uglier every
time." One can only recoil in horror to imagine what he might
resemble after another month of shows.
When the hour drew to a close and the band had bid its
farewells, a fan remarked, "I want more." He got what he asked for
as the quartet strapped on its instruments once again. Paulson,
looking a bit less threatening in a black T-shirt, pointed to
Feldmann and took the mic.
"I know he ain’t got nothing better to do, so here we go."
And go they did, serving up a punked-up cover of The Cure’s
"Just Like Heaven." Though it was almost unrecognizable, it was
mighty entertaining to watch them tackle ’80s pop. They didn’t need
lasers, smoke machines, or go-go girls, just a healthy dose of
energy to keep things going. From start to finish, Goldfinger owned
the stage, and the band seems unwilling to give it up any time in
the near future.Photos by MICHAEL ROSS WACHT/Daily Bruin Senior
Staff
John Feldmann keeps the crowd bouncing with catchy punk tunes
about snowboarders and old girlfriends.
Charlie Paulson rips through punk chords to a crowd of mostly
teenaged fans at the Key Club Wednesday night.
Comments, feedback, problems?
© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]